When trying to lose weight quickly, many people turn to fad diets, ultra-restrictive meal plans and grueling exercise programs. Not only are many of these dangerous, they're extremely difficult to maintain long enough to see major results. But you can safely lose weight rapidly without having to work out for hours every day or restrict yourself to just a few foods. Instead, focus on getting maximum nutrition out of the calories you consume and making the most of every minute you spend exercising.
Burn More Calories
Thirty minutes of daily exercise is a common recommendation for weight loss, but if you want to drop pounds quickly, you need to increase both the duration and intensity of your workouts. Spend at least an hour exercising every day, and choose activities that burn maximum calories, such as running, rollerblading, jumping rope, cross country skiing, taekwondo, tennis, basketball, football, rowing and high-impact aerobics.
Cut Calories Without Going Hungry
Weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you consume, and the greater the calorie deficit, the faster you'll lose weight. You can safely cut between 500 and 1,000 calories from your daily diet, as long as you're not consuming fewer than 1,200 calories total. But when you're cutting your calorie intake drastically, it's essential that you choose filling and nutrient-rich foods so you don't feel hungry and so you give your body the energy it needs to get through your daily workouts. Eat foods from every food group, choosing low-calorie options that are also high in protein and fiber; try fruits and vegetables; non-fat dairy products like yogurt, milk and cottage cheese; fish and seafood; beans and lentils; lean meats like white-meat poultry, pork tenderloin and lean cuts of beef; whole-grain bread, cereal and pasta; and brown rice and quinoa.
Try Interval Training
If you want to blast calories without spending hours in the gym, try adding interval training to your workout routine a few times per week. Interval training simply means alternating regular exercise with very intense bursts of activity, and it is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories. You can incorporate interval training into virtually any activity, but you might try alternating three minutes of jogging with one minute of sprinting, or two minutes of high-impact aerobics with 30 seconds of jumping rope.
Wear a Pedometer
Simply walking more helps burn more calories throughout the day, and when combined with vigorous daily exercise, can help you lose weight faster. There's no need to spend top dollar on a fancy pedometer; all you need to know is how many steps you've taken. Aim to take at least 10,000 steps throughout the day, not including the ones taken during your workouts. Easy ways to take more steps include parking at the far end of the lot, walking around the house while you chat on the phone and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
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